groundbreaking

adjective

Definition of groundbreakingnext
as in innovative
introducing new ideas or methods She was honored for her groundbreaking work in nuclear physics. a groundbreaking new book

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of groundbreaking The formula uses a groundbreaking Vitamin-B3 complex that works over a period of time to help naturally rebalance your scalp for long-term relief. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 7 July 2026 Filmed in Technicolor, its visual effects were truly groundbreaking, as the movie imagined alien terrors that, before then, had only been possible on the page or on radio. — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 4 July 2026 What's a groundbreaking Father's Day gift to give to your dad? — Jamie Fischer, Parents, 20 June 2026 The county had been aiming to have a groundbreaking or ceremonial event for the square and tree in July as part of the 250th anniversary festivities, with plans to start construction after and complete the project in 2028. — Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for groundbreaking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for groundbreaking
  1. innovative
  2. creative
  3. original
  4. novel
  5. clever
  6. fresh
Adjective
  • Most obviously, if IBM is so innovative, why have its own blockchain efforts proven a bust, and why is its broader business strategy in tatters?
    — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Talisman Designs is celebrated for creating innovative kitchen tools that add personality to every kitchen.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of innovative
Adjective
  • This is good energy for planning a date, creative project, or one-on-one conversation that needs structure without losing spark.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Try this creative take on bread pudding, a casserole-style tomato dish filled with savory and sweet notes.
    — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of creative
Adjective
  • One stores and processes incoming charge, while another traps electrons to control how quickly the device returns to its original state.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Many of the original features have been preserved, including two magnificent fireplaces with bread ovens.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of original
Adjective
  • Making novel genes is not new, but creating an entire functional genome is much trickier—genes have complex patterns of interaction, and all their cascading effects need to be taken into account for the result to function as a comprehensive body.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2026
  • So Pederson entered his son into a clinical trial for a novel treatment.
    — Bobby Allyn, NPR, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of novel
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, spouses, partners and close friends will see you as bright, clever and interesting.
    — Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Goode actually does something clever as Monsters of God begins.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of clever
Adjective
  • The luxury resort has truly found its rhythm, fresh enough to still feel like a discovery, and sitting directly in the path of one of the most valuable luxury audiences to arrive in Las Vegas all year.
    — Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The isotope is used to initiate nuclear reactor startup and analyze fresh reactor fuel.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of fresh

Browse Nearby Words

groundbreakers
groundbreaking
groundburst
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Groundbreaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/groundbreaking. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on groundbreaking

Nglish: Translation of groundbreaking for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All